


Not Minding

by Saylee



Category: Red Dwarf
Genre: Episode: s10e06 The Beginning, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 03:43:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6268171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saylee/pseuds/Saylee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of The Beginning, Lister and Rimmer chat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Minding

**Author's Note:**

> I think this was intended to be the start of my first Red Dwarf fic, but obviously I stalled on it, and wrote some other stuff instead, and kind of forgot about it until I was going through my WIP folder and thought I might as well post it as a standalone vignette.

Rimmer being Rimmer, the revelation that his real father would have been proud of him could not erase a lifetime of neuroses and inadequacy. As the impromptu celebration finally wound up and Lister and Rimmer made their way back to their quarters, Lister could see the old familiar tension trying to wipe the smile from Rimmer's face. It was a shame, really, he thought; self-confidence looked good on the man.

He opened his mouth, hoping to forestall that from happening. "Hey, you really did great today, Rimsy."

Rimmer turned to him, his expression torn between hope and doubt. "You really think so?"

Lister smiled. "I really think so. I knew you could do it. You made me proud, man."

Rimmer raised both eyebrows. "Who knew? There is a first time for everything."

"Hey, hey. Enough with the self-deprecation. It's hardly the first time, guy."

"It isn't?"

"Course not. What about with our future selves? What about being Ace?"

Rimmer snorted. "What about it? I failed."

"How'd you fail? Because your program got damaged stopping the chameleonic microbe? You saved us, Rimmer."

"You'd be the only one who thinks so. You heard Kryten."

"That's because he don't know, guy. He and Cat still have no clue you're our Rimmer."

"If they don't know, then I'm hardly their Rimmer, am I?"

"Just mine, then?" Lister asked, with a grin.

"I, uh, that is," Rimmer stuttered to a halt, colour suddenly high on his face. He glanced cautiously at Lister, who was looking back at him, steady and kind, just the hint of a smile playing around his lips. "I wouldn't mind that," he admitted quietly.

Lister's hand closed over his.


End file.
